Results showed that the SM participants
held a higher expectancy of change for themselves and concurrently
reported significant improvements toward reaching their goal behaviors and
decreases in negative attitudes when compared with both control groups.
Furthermore, follow-up data showed that those in the SM group continued to
report lower frequency in problem behaviors and the perception of being able
to generalize their newly acquired skills to other behavioral issues (Rakos &
Grodek, 1984). Similarly, Dodd (1986) found that students in the SM group
demonstrated significantly greater improvements in reaching their goal behaviors
and reported an increase in self-control skills when compared with the
control group. Moreover, 1st and 2nd year follow-up data showed that nearly
60% of SM group participants reportedly continued to maintain and apply the
SM strategies that they had acquired to other behaviors. In conclusion, findings
suggest that college-level SM courses can be an effective method due to
the opportunity for students to directly apply psychological and behavioral
principles to targeted behaviors.